Spring Irrigation Startup for Wilmington Homeowners

When our technician arrives at your Wilmington property, the first step is slowly opening the main shutoff valve to recharge the system without creating a water hammer that could crack fittings. We bring the backflow preventer online and verify it's passing the test required by the Wilmington Water Department. Then we activate each zone individually, walking the full coverage area. We check every head for proper pop-up height, correct arc and radius, and clean spray patterns. Heads that tilted during winter freeze-thaw cycles get straightened. Nozzles clogged with sand or debris — common in Wilmington's sandy loam areas — get cleaned or swapped. We adjust controller schedules for spring watering needs and note any repairs that should be addressed. The whole visit takes 45-75 minutes depending on system size.

Wilmington sits at an elevation where winter temperatures swing above and below freezing repeatedly through March and into early April. That freeze-thaw action heaves the soil and shifts sprinkler heads — a head that was perfectly flush last October may be sitting a half-inch too high or tilted 15 degrees by spring. In clay pocket areas near the wetlands off Federal Street, the heaving is more pronounced than in the sandier sections near Silver Lake. Our startup inspection catches these shifts before they cause uneven coverage or mower damage. We also check for cracked fittings at every connection point since expanding ice inside residual water pockets can split brass and PVC joints. Catching a hairline crack during startup prevents a mid-July blowout that wastes hundreds of gallons.